Highlights

Psychologist conducted sting in Bandra and Khar and found easy access to drugs

Kids as young as 13 and 14 are being targeted by the peddlers

She gets at least 15 new cases of drug addiction, mostly teenagers, every month

Despite cops’ assurances that they would clean up streets, it’s easy to buy illegal substances in Bandra and Khar, says Shraddha Sidhwani.

A psychologist, alarmed by high number of teen drug addicts, conducted a sting in Bandra and Khar on Tuesday, and found that despite cops’ repeated assurances of clean streets, it’s very easy to buy illegal substances from local peddlers.

Shraddha Sidhwani took the help of two teenage girls, who were able to purchase weed in the two areas without much difficulty. She also found paan shops that readily provided rolling paper and cigarettes to minors.

Sidhwani shared photos and videos of the sting with the Bandra and Khar police, who later in the day picked up seven paan shop owners for selling the two products to teenagers. However, at least three drug pushers who offered weed to the two girls were not found.

The findings of Tuesday’s operation are likely upset residents who last year won a hard-fought promise from senior police officials that neighbourhoods would be freed of drug pushers. Over 100 citizens from various housing societies in Oshiwara and Andheri-Lokhandwala marched to the Oshiwara police station on November 26, demanding measures against the drug problem that has trapped children as young as 13. A 19-year-old youth, who started taking drugs at the age of 14, also issued a video appeal asking cops to tackle the menace.

Sidhwani, who runs a clinic in Bandra, gets 15 new cases of drug addiction, mostly teenagers, every month. She decided to conduct the sting after she observed that cops were not doing enough to identify and arrest peddlers.

“I have raised the issue with the Khar and Bandra police a few times before, but they never took it seriously. Today, I decided to do something on my own and present evidence about drug peddlers’ menace to cops,” she said. “I found two men selling marijuana near the BMC ground, close to Mount Mary’s church.”

According to the 36-year-old psychologist, the cases of substance abuse among teenagers have shot up in the past two years. “Kids as young as 13 and 14 are being targeted by the peddlers. Drugs are ruining careers and destroying families. It’s very disturbing,” Sidhwani said. “Two children I counselled were brought to me after they started stealing money from their parents. Earlier, some severe cases were sent to rehab.”

A Bandra resident said her 17-year-old daughter was on the verge of becoming an addict when she took her for counselling.

She was always a good student, but suddenly her grades dropped and she became quite aggressive. I realised something was wrong so I took her to a clinic, where it emerged that she had been taking drugs.-Parent of 17-year-old girl from Bandra

The 17-year-old has completed five sessions of counselling, but there has been no significant progress. “Currently, she is not ready to accept that drugs altered her behaviour. If this does not work out, we may have to send to her rehab,” the mother said.

The father of a 16-year-old boy said he could not believe it when he learned that joints were easily available in Bandra, Khar and other areas. “You could probably get it from a sandwichwala at Bandstand. No wonder so many children are picking up the habit,” he said. “Something needs to be done, and urgently.”

Senior inspector Ramchandra Dashrath Jadhav of the Khar police station said following residents’ complaints, beat marshals had been deployed to patrol neighbourhoods round the clock. “In the past one year, several drug pushers have been arrested,” he said.

Psychiatrist Dr Sagar Mundada said there was a misconception among youngsters that marijuana was only a recreational drug and it would not lead to dependence.

Many consider smoking a joint as a lifestyle statement. But that is how it starts and before you know it, you are deep into the habit.-Psychiatrist Dr Sagar Mundada

“We need to organise regular workshops to create awareness among students," he added.

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